Winnipeg Construction X

[wags_in_the_peg]

that's a lot of real estate towers up for sale, then add the fact that many other buildings downtown are for sale too. There's about 15 buildings (3-6 story) for sale (Portage, Kennedy, Garry, Donald, Smith).

[bomberjet]

The BMO tower is probably my fave of the Winnipeg towers. It's looking dirty these days. The old BMO branch building is also, obviously, amazing.

[Biff]

I would think the tall MTS building on Main would make for a good residential conversion. Small, thin floor plates are much easier to work with than the typical large office floor plates that make conversions tricky.

Obviously they would have to be creative on the south side where there are no windows, but I'm sure it can be overcome.

I guess the plus for these buildings in a sale is that they are or appear to be fully leased.

[1ajs]

bells next move consolidate the jobs from wpg rbc not surprize they will regret that eventualy

[wags_in_the_peg]

^ it doesnt say BellMts is leaving the tower

[DLLB]

It sure seems like construction in Winnipeg has slowed down tremendously. Pretty well nothing new for quite a while now. It seems strange considering the significant growth lately.

[TheDowntowner]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

^ it doesnt say BellMts is leaving the tower

BellMTS has been shedding and consolidating floors at least in 333 Main for a few years now. Most I know moved their desks over to Pioneer recently for the couple of days of the week where they are in office.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by DLLB

It sure seems like construction in Winnipeg has slowed down tremendously. Pretty well nothing new for quite a while now. It seems strange considering the significant growth lately.

Well, it is all in how you look at it. There is a ton of construction happening around the city, it is just that none of it is sexy or towers other than 308 Colony.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Biff

Well, it is all in how you look at it. There is a ton of construction happening around the city, it is just that none of it is sexy or towers other than 308 Colony.

There may be a need for them, but it's hard to get too excited about random 4 storey spreadsheet-inspired apartment buildings popping up in the suburbs. It's a little frustrating how the pandemic took the wind right out of the city's sails just when it felt like there was a critical mass of construction forming including some larger, higher profile projects.

[WinCitySparky]

Originally Posted by esquire

There may be a need for them, but it's hard to get too excited about random 4 storey spreadsheet-inspired apartment buildings popping up in the suburbs. It's a little frustrating how the pandemic took the wind right out of the city's sails just when it felt like there was a critical mass of construction forming including some larger, higher profile projects.

This has been happening since the 1950’s. Because Winnipeg is literally the last market large capital gets horny on investing in large buildings, by the time the current business cycle peaks out and the interest and money is on the cusp, recession/business cycle drops and basically nothing gets done here or anything about to start shovelling gets abandoned, except maybe one or two of these giant sexy projects that is too far along to stop now.

[ColdRain&Snow]

Originally Posted by esquire

There may be a need for them, but it's hard to get too excited about random 4 storey spreadsheet-inspired apartment buildings popping up in the suburbs. It's a little frustrating how the pandemic took the wind right out of the city's sails just when it felt like there was a critical mass of construction forming including some larger, higher profile projects.

I think there's lots of projects in Winnipeg to be excited about right now! You just have to remember it's Winnipeg so keep your expectations realistic haha.

Here's some projects to be excited about:
-308 Colony St
-Marketlands
-The Bay redevelopment
-Portage Place redevelopment
-185 Donald St (eventually)
-Sutton Place Hotel (eventually)
-109 Mayfair Ave
-Major residential projects in the East Exchange including 90 Alexander Ave, 127 Bannatyne, and 138 Portage Ave E
-Major residential and mixed-use projects in Osborne Village including 281 River Ave, 197 Osborne St, 160 Osborne St/424 Wardlaw Ave/425 Wardlaw Ave
-Mixed-Income and Non-Profit housing in West Broadway including 198 Sheerbrook St and 545 Broadway
-Densification of Marion St including 156 Marion St and 316 Des Meurons St

I guess the projects are small enough that it's hard to get really excited about individual projects, but if you look at several projects happening close together then it's exciting to imagine the impact it will have on the surrounding neighbourhood.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by WinCitySparky

This has been happening since the 1950’s. Because Winnipeg is literally the last market large capital gets horny on investing in large buildings, by the time the current business cycle peaks out and the interest and money is on the cusp, recession/business cycle drops and basically nothing gets done here or anything about to start shovelling gets abandoned, except maybe one or two of these giant sexy projects that is too far along to stop now.

Very true. I remember this clearly in the late 80s/early 90s. Just as Winnipeg was seeing some critical mass of new construction in that 80s building wave across Canada, the bottom fell out with a recession and everything stopped for a good decade.

It feels like Winnipeg is among the last to get going in a boom cycle and among the first to slow down when it tapers out.

ColdRain&Snow's list is good, but even there a lot of those projects are fairly uncertain in terms of whether they will get built or if they do, whether they will look anything like what was initially envisioned.

[esquire]

In the "small wins" category, there's this nice CTV News story about a St. Boniface redevelopment project:

'A sustainable project': Former Winnipeg church converted into apartments



https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/a-sustainabl...urch-converted-into-apartments-1.6541645

[rivercity]

wow what a cool project!

More info and pics: https://240tache.ca/

[esquire]

^ Yeah, I like it because it maintains a building with character that has been part of the community for a long time. I much prefer that kind of adaptive reuse to knocking it down and putting up a hardie board special.

[bomberjet]

That's a neat one! Love it.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Hazel Borys is behind that project (recent City Director Planning) hubby is head of WAG. they are living there as well

[esquire]

^ Good stuff. It's a nice project.

On another note, anyone know who is moving into the main floor of 200 Main (former Scotiabank Building)? Looks like there is a fair bit of work happening in there. I know there was some discussion about 200 Main a while back but I can't remember who ended up taking that space...

[DonaldSmith]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Good stuff. It's a nice project.

On another note, anyone know who is moving into the main floor of 200 Main (former Scotiabank Building)? Looks like there is a fair bit of work happening in there. I know there was some discussion about 200 Main a while back but I can't remember who ended up taking that space...

200 Portage and:

https://winnipeg-chamber.com/chamber-blog/winnipeg-chamber-moves-to-portage-and-main/

[esquire]

Ah yeah, the Chamber. Thank you, I thought we had heard something about that address but I couldn't remember exactly what.